Machine for making articles from sheet material



May 4 192s. 1,583,259

H. E. RUCKERT El AL MACHINE FOR MAKING ARTICLES FROM SHEET MATERIAL Filed Sept. 29 1924 3 Sheets+$heet 1 TIQJ- v INVENLEH/SI May 4 1926. 1,583,259

I H. E. RUCKERT ET AL MACHiNE FOR MAKING ARTICLES FROM SHEET MATERIAL Filed Sept. 29, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 m mm (9.2 I

May 4 1926. 1,583,259

- H. E. RUCKERT ET AL v MACHINE FOR MAKING ARTICLES FROM SHEET MATERIAL Filed Sept. 29 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Y W TN fl 5. flu i w a 0m 7M H w \m V a w a m1 o 4 7 B h w z D w 2522:; 0 7v 5 a W I 0 a 7 I W Patented May 4, 1926,.

,UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE-.-

HAImY E. niIcxERT, BERNARD M. FINE, AND Enid x. LUND, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOBS, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, To SANITARY PRODUCTS CORPORATION or AM IcA, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION VIRGINIA.

IIAGHINE FOR MAKING ARTICLES FROM SHEET MATERIAL.

Application filed September 29, 1924. Serial No. 740,497.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HARRY E. 'RUCKERT,

BERNARD M. FINE, and Euro K. LUND. citizens of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Machines for Making Articles from Sheet Material, of

which the following is a specification, refer- 1 ence being had therein to the accompanying drawings. This invention making articles, such as plate, dishes, or the like, from paper, sheet fibre stock, or other sheet material, and especially, although not exclusively to machines of the type disclosed and claimed in application Serial No. 726,863, filed July 18, 1924, by Harry E; 'Ruckert.

A machine of this type comprises a die press having a bed and a reciprocating ram provided respectively with cooperating fixed and movable dies for punching blanks from a web or webs of material and simultaneously forming said blanks into articles, 'together with means for intermittently feeding the web over the bed and beneath the ram, means being provided for restoring the formed articles to the openings in the web from which the blanks have been punched, whereby said articles are carried along away from the dies and out of the machine by the travel of the web. In the machine as shown in said prior application, a plurality of sets of cooperating dies are employed,-so as to blank out and form a plurality of articles at each stroke of the ram, said dies being arranged in two transverse rows, and the dies of the rear row being staggered with respect to the dies of the front row, so that .at each stroke of the ram the dies of the rear row will blank out articles from the spaces between the openings in the .web punched'by the dies of the front row at a preceding stroke.

It is desirable, in order to avoid waste of material, that the dies be so positioned as to leave a minimum space between the openings and the web formed by the blanking out operations, but, on the other hand, owing to the shape of the formed articles, which in the case-of a plate or dish is frustoconical,

relates to machines for the bases of the articles are considerably smaller than the openings in the web, and as the articles are carried along by the web by contact of the latter with their bases, an

initial portion of the travel of the web is in each instance lost by the articles last formed. Due to this condition, progressive movements of the web do not locate centrally between the staggered dies the previously finished. group of articles, the latter being off-center in their respective openings in the web by an amount equal to the difference between the diameter of the blanks and the diameter of the bases of the articles. As the movement of the web at each operation is determined by the size of the blanks, insufiicient movement is imparted to the articles to cause them to clear the dies; Ac-

cordingly, in the machine shown in said prior application, the ram is provided with pivoted fingers for engaging the articles formed by the front row of dies and moving them relative to and in the direction of movement of the web away from Said dies. The present invention has for its primary object to provide an improved mechanism for more positivelymoving the articles formed by the front row of dies away from said dies and accurately centering the same between the dies of the front and rear row, and also to provide mechanism for positively removing the articles formed by the front dies from proximity to the rear dies as they pass the latter. It will be obvious, how- .ever, that various parts of the mechanism described and shown for this purpose might well be employed for controlling the position of articles formed by machines of other types and for removing said articles from the dies or other forming instrumentalities of such machines.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention, together with means whereby the latter may be carried into effect, will be understood from the following description of one form or embodiment thereof illus trated in the accompanying drawings. It will be understood, however, that the particular construction described and shown, as well as the particular application of certain features of the invention, have been chosen for illustrative purposes merely, and that away, of a paper...plate machine embodying position.

the invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken sub-.

stantially on the line 2-2, Fig; 1, certain of the parts being shown in a slightly different Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail section taken substantially on theline 4&4, Fig.2.

Fig. 5 is a detail section taken substantially on the line 55, Fig. 3.

F lgs. 6 and 7 are fragmentary elevatlons, looking in the direction of arrow 6 on Fig. 2, ofa portion of the mechanism shown gt the right in the latter figure, the parts being shown in different positions in Figs. 6 and 7, respectively. Y

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 88, Fig. 2.

The invention is herein illustrated as applied to a paper platemachine of the type more fully shown and described in application Serial No. 726,863, above referred to. Said machine is in the form of-a die press, the frame of which, as shown, comprises a base 15 upon which rest legs 16 supportin'ga bed 17 from which rise uprights 18 integrally connected at their tops by a transverse portion 19. The ram 20 is guided for vertical movement in suitable ways carried by the uprights 18, said rand being lifted by springs 21 connecting said ram with crossheads 22 supported b'y'the transverse portion 19, and being depressed by means of cams 23011 a main shaft 24 journalled in suitable hearings in the uprights 18 and driven in any usual or well-known way from any suitable source or power. The cams 23 cooperate with cam rollers 25. carried by preferably adjustable posts 26 risin from the ram. Secured to the bed 17 is a olster 27, carrying the lower combined blanking out and forming dies 28-which cooperate with complementary upper dies 29 in a die carrier 30 secured to the ram 20 and provided with depending studs 14 guided in openings 13 in the bolster 27. The web of sheet material is fed intermittently, between successive depressions of the ram, over the lower dies 28 and below the upper dies 29,

so that at each stroke of the ram a plurality of blanks are punched from the stock and said blanks simultaneously formed into articles. As shown in Fig. 2, the dies are arranged in two transverse rows, the dies of each row being staggered with respect to the (lies of the other row, so that at each stroke of the ram the dies of the rear row, or that shown at the right in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, operate upon portions of the stock left between the openings punched by the dies of the front row. The web V of the material is drawn from any suitable source (not shown) at the front of the machine by a pair of continuously rotated feed rollers 31 and is drawn rearwardly into the machine by the intermittent feeding mechanism through supporting rollers 32, a plurality of superposed webs being preferably supplied, so that at each stroke of the ram each pair of dies punch from the stock a plurality of blanks and form the same into a group of nested articles A. The mechanism for intermittently feeding the web or webs comprises four slides 33 .(see particularly Fig. 2) said slidesbeing disposed in pairs located respectively at opposite sides of the web and the slides of each pair being. disposed re spectively at the front and rear of the dies. The two slides of each pair are mounted for longitudinal movement on a guide 34, said guide being carried by plungers 35 (see igs. 2 and 8) mounted for vertical movement on the bolster 27. Each of the plungers 35 is provided with a spring 36 for normally supporting the guide 34 whose upward movement, under the influence of said spring, is limited, so as to fix its normal position, by engagement of shoulders 37 on the plungers with a plate 38 secured to the upper face of thegbolster.

The guides 34' are engaged at each stroke of the ram by abutment studs 9 on the die carrier 30, thereby causing the web W to move downwardly with the ram during the blanking out and forming operation. The slides 33 of each pair are rigidly connected with each other by a rod 40 and are provided with means for gripping and releasing the adjacent edge of the web 1V, said means including a pivoted ripper member 41 on each side connected y a rod 42 with the gripper member on the other slide 33 of the pair, the grippers 41 of the two forward slides being connected to operating rods 43.

The arrangement is such that when the rods 43 are moved toward the rear of the-machine, or toward the ri ht in Figs. 1 and 2, the grippers 41 will grip both edges of the web, and the slides 33 thereafter move rear- 'wardly to advance the web, while movement.

between the dies by a stripper plate 50 liar-- ing openings to receive the lower dies, said stripper plate being supported by springs 51 in 49 on the main shaft received in cavities in the bolster 27 and surrounding rods 52 guided in said bolster and provided with stop nuts 53 for fixing the normal position of the stripper plate under the influence of the springs '51, the latter yielding during the blanking out and forming operation but operating to return the stripper plate to its normal position when the ram rises. The lower dies 28 are provided with spring pressed ejectors 12 for lifting the formed articles A out of said dies, thereby restoring said articles to the openings in the web from which the blanks have been punched, so as to cause said articles to be carried along by the travel of the web over the stripper plate 50.

The articles A formed at eachoperation by the front row of dies are'therefore carried, at the next rearward movement of the web, .into approximately the position P,

, Figs. 2 and 3, and at the next succeeding movement of the web into approximately the position P these being the positions of the openings in the web from which the corresponding blanks have been punched. As

above pointed out, however, owing to the shape of the blanks a portion of the motion of the web is lost, so that, in order to avoid nicking of the articles in the position P by the dies of the front row, as well as nicking of the articles in the position P by the dies of the rear row, each feed movement of the web must be in excess of that desirable for economy, or else means must be provided for compensating for the loss of movement of the articles by the web. In accordance with the present invention, mechanism is provided for carrying the articles formed at each operation of the front row of dies away from said dies and centering them in the position P between the front and rear dies, as well as for subsequently carrying said articles out of proximity to the dies of the rear row into the position P Secured to the bolster 27 at each side of the stripper plate .50, and at points about opposite the forward edge of the latter, are cylinders 54 (Figs. 2 and 4) in which are guided for vertical movement plungers 55' supported by springs 56 and having heads adapted to engage'the ends'ofthecylinders to fix the normal position of said plungers under the influence of said springs. Pivoted to the plungers 55 respectively are the outer ends of arms or lovers 5 each carrying. at its inner end, opposite the dies 28, 29 of the front row, a pair of pivoted fingers 8 normally drawn toward one another by springs 6 and constituting pnshers for the articles formed by said dies. The arms 5 are respectively provided with eyes 60 through which pass the rods 40 connecting the hmpqw' tlve feed slides 33, springs 61 onsaid rods being interposed between the arms 5 and theforward feed slides of each pair, said springs affording yielding lost motion connections between the feed slides and arms acting, when the feed slides are moved rearwa-rdly, to move the arms 5 rearward'ly about. their pivots 55 to an extent determined by fixed stops 62 on the bolster 27, and

thereafter yielding to take up the excess movement of the feed slides. The arms 5 are moved forwardly about their pivots when the feed slides are moved forwardly by means of springs 63 connecting said arms with studs 10 depending from the ram 20, the rods 40 being preferably also provided with fixed collars 6i to impart a positive forward movement to said arms. The arms 5 swing on their pivots 55 over the web \V and stripper plate 50 in planes substantially parallel thereto, and are depressed against the tension of the springs 56, so as to partake of the downward. movement; of

said stripper plate during the blanking out and formln'g operation, by means of abutment studs 65 depending from the upper die carrier 30 and engaging the plungers 55.

During the upward movement of the ram, the feed slides 33, with their connecting rods 40, are moved rearwardly to advance the web, the rearward movement of said rods being yieldingly transmitted through the springs 61 to the arms 5, causing the latter to be swung about their pivots 55 from the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 into the position shown in full lines therein, thereby causing the fingers 8 to pass the front-dies, engage the articles A last formed by the latter, and push or positively move said articles relative to and in the direction of movement of the web into the centered position P. Thereafter the feed slides 33 and rods 40 move forwardly, permitting the springs 63 to return the arms 57 to the posltion shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, this return being positively effected by the collars 64 should the springs 63 fail to act. During their forward movement with the arms 5, the fingers 8 are permitted to yield about their pivots against the tension of the springs 6 to permit said fingers to pass about the dies of the front row, and particularly the upper dies 29, during descent of the latter with the ram 20.

The ram 20 is provided at the rear of the upper die carrier 30 with guides 2 in which are mounted, for movement longitudinally of the machine, slides 3 having at their rear ends shoulders 4 between which and the guides 2 are interposed springs 69 tending normally to force said slides rearwardly. The forward ends of the slides 3 extend beneath the upper die carrier 30 and are proengaged by a the latter in the projected position shown. J ournalled in suitable bearings carried b the ram 20 at the rear. of the latter is a roc shaft 7 3 provided with arms 7 4 constituting actuators'for the slides 3 and adapted to engage the rear ends of the latter and force the same forwardly against the tension of the springs 69. The rock shaft 73 is further provided with an arm 75 which, as the ram 20 rises, engages an adjustable abutment screw 76 carriedby an upright 77 rising from the bed 17, thereby rocklng the shaft 73 in the direction to cause the arms 74 to move the slides 3 forwardly. The rock ond upright 83 rising from the bed 17.

As the ram 20 approaches the limit of its upward movement, the arm 75 engagesthe abutment 76, thereby causing the arms 7 4 to push the slides 3 forwardly into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 7, the parts being locked in this position by engagement of. the latch 80 with the shoulder 79 on the arm 78. During the upward movement of the ram,

the feed slides 33 operate to move the web rearwardly, thereby carrying the articles A which have'previously occupied the position P, into a position between the dies of the rear row. As the ram descends, the fingers 7 on the slides 3 embrace and engage said last named articles, and thereafter, as said ram approaches the bed, the latch 30 engages the abutment screw 82, causin said latch to release the shoulder 79, w ereupon the springs 69 move the slides the position shown in Figs. 2, 3,'and6, thereby movingsaid articles into the positlon P. The yielding mountin of the fingers 7 permits them to move ownwardly ram in advance of the upper dies so as to engage and move the articles before the hat 3 rearwardl'y into with the ter are struck by said dies, and thereafter to' yield. to compensate for-the further downward movement of the ram and upper dies during the punching and forming operation.

The mechanism last described serves to remove from proximity to the rear dies the articles formed by the front dies, so that, at the next rearward movement of the web, said articles are carried over the rear edge of the stripper plate 50 and drop from the openings in the web, being received by suitable mechanism, not shown in detail herein, for discharging them from the machine; The rear edge of said stripper plate is cut away or notched, as shown at 84, immedi-" ately adjacent the rear dies, so that, when the articles formed by the latter are with drawn therefrom by the travel of the web, said articles dro at once through said notches to the disc arging mechanism.

Having thus described ourinvention, we claim:

1. In a machine of the character de scribed, in combination, front and rear dies for blanking out and forming articles from a web of material, means for feeding said web from front to rear, means for removing from a front die an articleformed thereby and centering the same between the front and rear dies and means for thereafter removing said article from proximity to a v.rear die 2. In a machine of thev character described, in combination, front and rear rows l of dies for blanking out and formin articles from-a web of material, the dies 0 the several rows being disposed in staggered relationship, means for feeding said web from front to rear, means for removing from the dies of the front row the articles formed thereby and centering them between the after removing said articles from between the dies of-the rear row;

3. In a machine of the character described, in combination, front and rear dies for punching blanks from a web of material and forming said blanks into articles, means for feeding said web from front to rear, means for restoring said articles to the openings in the web from which said blanks have been punched, whereby said articles are carried along by the travel of the web, additional devices for removin from a front die .an article formed there y and centering the same between the front and rear dies and devices for thereafter removilng said article from proximity to a rear 4. In a machine of the character described, in combination, front and rear dies for'blankmg out and forming articles from a' web of material, means for feeding said web from front to rear, means for removing from a front die an article formed thereby and centering the-same between the front and rear dies, and means for subsequently removing said article from proximity to a 7 ong by.v the. travel and'means operative after the next succeeding movement of the web. to remove said I article from proximity to a rear die.

6. In a machine of the character described, in, combination, front and rear rows of dies for punching blanks from a web of material and forming said blanks into articles, the dies of the several rows belng disposed in staggered relationship, means for intermittently feeding said web from front to rear, means for restoring said articles to the openings in the web from which said blanks have been punched, whereby said articles are carried along by the travel of the web, means for removing from the dies of the front row the articles formed thereby and centering them between the front and rear rows, and means operative after the next succeeding movement of the web to remove said articles from between the dies of the rear row.

7. In a machine of the character described, in combination, means for blanking out and forming articles from a web of material, means for feeding said web, and additional means operated by said web feedingmeans for moving the formed articles relative to and in the direction of the movement of the web.

8. In a machine of the character described, in combination, intermittently operating devices for blanking out and forming articles from a web of material, a reciprocating slide having web gri means thereon for feeding said web intermittently between successive operations of said devices, a pusher for moving the formed articles relative to and in the direction of movement of the web, an arm by which said pusher is carried, and a connection between said arm and slide for operating the former from the latter.

9. In a machine of the character de-' scribed, in combination, intermittently operating devices for blanking out and forming articles from a web of material, a reciprocating slide having web gripping means thereon for feeding said web intermittently between successive operations of said devices, a pusher for moving the formed articles relative to and in the direction of movement of the Web, an arm by which said pusher is carried, and a yielding lost motion connection between said arm and slide for operating the former from the latter.

10. In a machine of the character described, in combination, cooperating dies for blanking out and forming articles from sheet material, means for moving one of said dies toward and from the other, an arm movable in a plane substantially parallel to the pla e of said material, means for moving sai arm toward said dies as the latter are moved away from one another and vice versa, and a pair of yielding fingers on said arm adapted to pass said dies as saidarm is moved toward the latter and engage and push the formed articles away from said adapted to pass said dies as said arm is moved toward the latter and engage and push the formed articles away from said res. 12. In a machine of the character described, in combination, means for punching blanks from a web of material and forming said blanks into articles, means for feeding said web, means for restoring-said articles to. the openingsin the web from which said blanks have been punched, whereby said ar-' ticles are carried along'by the travel of the web, and additional said feeding means for moving the formed articles in the direction of the movement of the web.

13. In a machine of the character described, in combination, means for punching blanks from a web of material and forming means movable with Y said blanks into articles, means for feeding said bed and ram respectively for blanking out and forming articles from a web of material, means for moving said ram toward and from said bed, a resiliently supported stripper late associated with .said fixed die, a slide or feeding said web, a resiliently supported guide for said slide, an arm operatlvel connected with said slide and movable t ereby toward and from said dies, a resiliently supported pivot for said arm, and

yielding fingers on said arm adapted to pass said dies as said arm is moved toward the latter and engage and push the formed articles away from said dies.

1 5. In a machine of the character described, in combination, front and rear dies for punching blanks from a web of materlal and forming said blanks into articles, resilifor blankingout and forming articles from a web of material, means for feeding said web from front to rear, an arm disposed in front of said frontdie, means for moving said am toward and from said die, yielding fingers on said arm adapted to pass said.

front die as said arm is moved toward the latter toengage and push the articles formed thereby awa therefrom and center the same between sai front and rear dies, and means for subsequently removing said articles from proximity to said rear dies.

17. In amachine of the character described, in combination, cooperating dies for blanking out and forming articles from a sheet of material, a slide movable toward and from said dies, means on said slide for engaging a formed article, and mechanism for movmg said slide toward said dies, enga in said engagingmeans with said article,

- an t ereafter moving said slide away from said dies to remove said article from proximity thereto.

' 18. In a machine of the character described, in combination, front and rear dies for blanking out and forming articles from a web of material, means for feeding said web from front to rear, means for removing from a front die an article formed thereby and centering the same between said front and rear dies, a slide movable toward and from said rear-dies, means on said slide for engaging said article, and mechanism for moving said slide toward said. rear dies, engaging said engaging means with'said art c e, and thereafter moving said slide away fromsaid rear dies to remove said article from proximity thereto. 7 19. In a machine of the character described, in combination, front and rear dies for blanking out and forming articles from a web of material, means for feeding said web from front to rear, an arm disposed in front of said front die, means for moving said arm toward'and from said dies, yieldfingers on said arm adapted to pass said.

s front die as said arm is moved toward the latter to engage and push an article formed thereby away therefrom and center the same between said front and rear dies, a slide movable toward and from said rear dies, means on said slide for engaging said artlcle',

and mechanism for moving said slide toward sa1d rear die, en aging sa1d engaging means with said artic e, and thereafter moving said slide away from said rear die to remove said article from proximity thereto.

--20. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a bed, a ram, co-

operating dies carried by said bed and ram for blanking out and forming articles from a sheet of mater al, means for moving said ram toward and from said bed, a slide carried by said ram and movable thereon toward and from said dies, means on said slide for engaging a formed article when said ram is moved toward said bed, and mechanism for moving said slide toward said dies when said ram is moved away from said bed and for moving the same away from said dies when the ram approaches said bed.

21. In a machine of the" character described, in combination, cooperating dies for blanking out and forming articles from a sheet of material, a slide movable toward and from said dies, yielding fingers on said slide for engaging a formed article, and mechanism for moving said slide toward said dies, engaging said fingers with said article, and thereafter moving said slide away from said dies.

22. Ina machine of the character described, in combination, a bed, a ram, 00-

. moving said slide away from said dies when the ram approaches said bed.

23. In a machine of the character de-' scribed, in'combination, cooperating dies for blanking out and forming articles from a sheet of material, a slide movable toward and from said dies, means on said slide for engaging a formedarticle, means for moving said slide toward said dies, means for engagin said engaging means with said-article, an means for moving said slide away from said dies;

24. In a machine of the character described, in combination, means for punching blanks from a web of material and forming them-into articles, means for feeding. said web, and means including a slide for moving saidarticles relative to and inthe direction of movement of the web.

25. In a machine .of the character described, in combination, means for punching blanks from a web of material and forming them into articles, means for feeding said web, means for restoring the formed articles to the openings in the web from which said blanks have been punched, whereby said articles are carried along by the travel of the web, and means including a slide for moving .said articles relative to and in the direction means for locking said member, means for releasing vsaid locking means when saidmember is moved toward said sheet, and means'for moving said member away from said dies when said locking means is re leased.

27. In a machine of the character described, in combination, cooperating dies for blanking out and forming articles from a sheet of material, a member for withdrawing the formed articles, means for moving said member toward and away from said sheet, means for moving said member toward said dies as it is moved away from said sheet, means for locking said member, means for releasing said locking means when said member is moved toward said sheet, and a spring for moving said member away'from said ,dies when said locking means is released.

28. .In a machine of the character described, in combination, a bed, a ram, cooperating fixed and movable dies on said bed and ram for blanking out and forming'articles from sheet material, means for moving said ram toward and away from said bed, a slide guided on said ram for movement toward and away from said dies. means on said slide for engaging the formed articles,means for moving said slide toward said dies when said ram is moved away from said bed, means for locking said slide, means for releasing said locking means when said ram approaches said bed, and means for movin said slide'away from said dies when said locking means is released.

29. In a machine of the character described, in combination, cooperating dies for punching blanks from a web of material and forming them into articles, means for feeding said web, means for restoring the formed articles to the openings in the web from which said blanks have been punched, whereby said articles are carried along by the travel of the web, a member for moving said articles relative to and in the direction of movement of the web, means for moving said member into engagement with said articles, means for locking said member, means for releasing said locking means, and means for operating said member to move said articles when released.

30. In a machine of the character described, in combination, cooperating dies for blanking out and forming articles from a sheet of material, a member for removing the formed articles from proximity to said dies, a carrier for said member movable toward and from said sheet, a spring for moving said member on said carrier away from said dies, an actuator on said carrier for moving said member toward said dies, a fixed abutment for operating said actuator when said carrier is moved away from said sheet, a latch for locking said member against operation by said spring, and a fixed abutment for releasing said latch when said carrier is moved toward said sheet.

' 31. In a machine vof the character described, in combination, a bed, a ram, means for moving said ram toward and from said bed, cooperating fixed and movable dies on said bed and ram for blanking out and'forming articles from sheet material, a slide guided on said ram for movement toward and from said dies, fingers on said slide for engaging a formed article, a spring for moving said slide away from said dies, a rock shaft on said ram, an arm on said rock shaft for moving said slide in opposition to said spring, a fixed abutment, a second arm on said rock shaft engaged by said abutment when said ram is moved away from said bed, a latch, a third arm on said rock shaft engaged by said latch, and a second fixed abutment engaged by said latch when sai ram is moved toward said bed.

32. In a machine of the character described, in combination, front and rear dies for punching blanks froma web of material and forming them into articles, means for feeding said web from front to rear, means for restoring the formed articles to the openings in the web from which said blanks have been punched, whereby said articles are carried along by the travel of the web, and additional means for removing articles formed by said front die from proximity to said rear die.

33. In a machine of the character described, in combination, front and rear dies for punching blanks from a web of material and forming them into articles, means for feeding said web from front to rear, :1. plate over which said web is fed, means'for restoring the formed articles to the openings in the web from which said blanks have been punched, whereby said articles are carried along by the travel of the web, and means for removing articles formed by said front die from proximity to said rearidie, said plate beingrcut away adjacent said rear die to permit the discharge of articles formed by said reardie when withdrawn therefrom by the travel of the web.

34. In a machine of the character de- I scribed, in combination, front and rear dies for punching blanks from a web of material and forming them into articles, means for feeding said Web from front to rear, a plate over which said web is fed, means for restoring the formed articles to the openings in the web from which said blanks have been punched, whereby said articles are carried along by the travel of the web, means for removing from a front die articles formed thereby and centering the same between the frontand rear dies, and means for removing articles formed by said front die from proximity to said rear the, said plate being cut away adjacent said rear die to permit the discharge of articles formed by said rear die when withdrawn therefrom by the travel of the web.

35. In a machine of the character described, in combination front and rear rows of dies for blanking out and forming artieles from a web of material, the dies of the several rows being disposed in staggered relationship, means for feeding said web from front to rear, a plate over which said web is fed, means for restoring the formed articles to the openings in the web from which said blanks have been punched, whereby said articles are carried along by the travel of the web, and means for removing the articles formed by the dies of the front row from between the dies of the rear row, the rear edge of said plate being notched adjacent the dies of the rear row to permit the discharge of the articles formed by said last named dies when withdrawn therefrom by the travel of the Web.

36. In a machine of the character describedfin combination, front and rear rows of dies for blanking out and forming articles from a web of material, the dies of the several rows being disposed in staggered relationship, means for feeding said web .from front to rear, a plate over which said web is fed, means for restoring the formed articles to the openings in the web from which said blanks have been punched,

whereby said articles are carried along by the travel of the web, means for removing from thedies of the front row the articles formed thereby and centering them between the front and rear rows, and means for removing the articles formed by the dies of the front row from between the dies of the rear row, the rear edge of said plate being notched adjacent the dies of the rear rowto permit the discharge of the articles formed by said last named dies when withdrawn therefrom by the travel of the web.

37. In a machine of the class described, the combination of means for blanking out and forming articles from a web of material, means for feeding" said web, and means for moving the article in the direction of movement of the web and for causing the article to be substantially centered in the opening in the web from which the article is formed.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

HARRY E. RUCKERT. BERNARD M. FINE. ERIC K. LUND. 

